This background section is provided for the purpose of generally describing the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventor(s), to the extent the work is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
As real estate utilization increases and offices become more densely packed, speech noise is becoming an increasingly challenging problem. Overheard intelligible speech decreases productivity, speech privacy, and comfort.
Sound masking—the introduction of constant background noise in order to reduce speech intelligibility, increase speech privacy, and increase acoustical comfort—is increasingly being incorporated into offices as a solution. Sound masking generally relies on broadband sound such as filtered pink noise played by speakers that may be located for example in the ceiling plenum.
One problem that still remains in designing an optimal sound masking system relates to setting the proper masking levels. Sound masking levels are generally set during installation and can be adjusted at a later time. Typically, the levels are set equally on all speakers, and are adjusted one time to obtain a uniform level of masking at head level. The problem with this approach is that office noise fluctuates over time and by location, and different masking levels are required for different areas. An acoustical consultant installing a sound masking system outside of normal working hours is unlikely to properly address this problem and the masking levels will therefore be sub-optimal.
Existing solutions include fairly simple masking systems that simply play a set level of masking sound, use a timer to change the levels in a predictive fashion, or use microphones in the ceiling to adapt the masking sound based on ambient noise levels. But these system fail to adapt the masking sounds to the changing needs of the users.